


Changmin's (Not So Great) Expectations

by magalix3



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: BFFs, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance, changmin has a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:36:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magalix3/pseuds/magalix3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>( Charles Dickens may have given you Great Expectations, but I can meet them ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changmin's (Not So Great) Expectations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [leprixx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/leprixx/gifts).



Junsu is supposed to be his best friend. You know, the kind of friend that would pick up the phone at two in the morning? The kind that takes a weekend to drive to university to visit him? The kind of friend that does something totally boring on a beautiful Saturday afternoon just to indulge his friend? 

Okay, so Junsu’s definitely done the last one, he’s done it a few times, but Changmin’s still pretty miffed. Because Junsu is supposed to be the kind of best friend that takes a day or two off from work to help his _best friend_ lug suitcases and boxes out of a moving truck, up four flights of stairs and into the guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom really isn’t much of a room -- there’s enough space for his desk and his bed, he doesn’t have enough clothes to fill a closet nonetheless a dresser, but it’s a good thing he doesn’t have a couch. It’s a good thing his bedframe is a flimsy piece of shit that he can lug up flights of stairs in pieces. By the time Changmin puts it together and drops the mattress on top of it, he’s too tired to be upset.

He drives the moving truck back to its’ bay and pays for the rusted piece of shit in cash. There’s an air bubble in the tire and the A/C is busted, but the scruffy man behind the desk just shrugs and throws the keys in a bin. 

The walk back home is a nightmare. It’s hot out, it’s _sticky_ out, his shirt clings to his chest and his bangs keep poking at his eyeballs, drenched in sweat. Changmin feels gross.. He’s going to have to hang his sneakers out to dry.

But he gets back to his new home, curses out every -- single -- step -- on his way back up to apartment 403, and jams the key in the doorknob. It clicks and the door swings open. The blast of cool air feels like heaven against his skin. The smell of cooking food -- _good_ food, follows right along and he kicks off his sweaty sneakers by the front door, swatting away the smell of stinky feet that rises to his nose, with no avail. 

Hani is beautiful, she’s slender, she has a smile that can stop a dozen boys in their tracks. Changmin’s comforted by that smile. But he’s comforted even moreso by the smell and sight of food.

“All moved in?” She asks, taking a wooden spoon and stirring the beef and vegetables mixture in the pan in front of her. 

“I still gotta unpack.”

“Do you need help with that?”

It’s mostly just clothes that he needs to unpack, all his other belongings -- personal documents, books, video games, are tucked neatly into bins that store underneath his bed. This is hopefully only a temporary situation. He can’t imagine bothering his best friend and his girlfriend for too long. It’s already embarrassing enough that he’s needing the help in the first place.

“I got it.” Changmin assures her, eagle eyes on the pan on the stove. Hani rolls her eyes and pulls a spoon from a drawer, spooning a generous amount of dinner onto it and handing it across the small kitchen. Changmin’s eyes light up and he leans forward, taking it from her.

“Junsu should be home soon. He stopped by the store to buy some beer.”

Changmin’s never been the social type, he enjoys half-empty movie theaters and corner couches in coffee stops, insouciant afternoons and evenings spent with novels. He’s never been one for concerts, bars and especially not clubs. But Junsu’s the opposite, he’s for all those things. He chatters through movies and only ever takes coffee to go. The bouncer at the local club is familiar with his face. It makes Changmin and Junsu an odd pair, but their friendship has withstood the troubled times of college and the distance that university and the real world can put on even the best of friends. It’s their utter differences that make them so well adaptive and comfortable with one another.

For example, Junsu buys beers and rents a movie. He curls on the couch with his girlfriend and they share a plate, share beer. Changmin sits opposite them, glued to the television with his beer held in between his thighs and for a while, it’s perfect. These nights are perfect. Junsu and Hani go clubbing on the weekends and Changmin stays home. Junsu and Hani go on dates and Changmin takes himself to the museum. Junsu and Hani have to nearly hog-tie him to get him out of the house and to the beach, but they splash around in the water and Changmin sits in the sand, eating too many popsicles to count, getting sunburn on his back and shoulders and chest and legs and well, everywhere. He looks like a lobster the next morning.

Junsu laughs too much to be of any help. Hani lathers on all the lotions and oils she owns in hopes to get the sunburn to stop hurting. She’s trying not to laugh, but it slips out every so often. She drops a dollop of lotion onto Changmin’s shoulders and he bites through the pain.

The sunburn eventually peels, looks a little less awful and Changmin’s got a nice tan going now. Junsu tells him he looks hot.

“You should find yourself a boyfriend.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.”

Junsu plops into his friend’s bed and wiggles his toes. “Well I’m having it with you. Hani’s co-worker is gay -- don’t look at me like that.”

Changmin glares at his housemate over his book. “Not interested.”

“What! But he’s cute? I think he’s cute, I don’t know, he’s kinda small and you’re daddy long legs over here, so you’d look funny as hell together…”

“I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m looking for a job.”

Junsu sighs and stretches out, his feet in the pillows near Changmin’s head. “What if I told you I said yes for you?”

“You motherfucker you didn’t.”

~ ~

 

Date number one goes… Awful.

But Changmin gives his number anyway and date number two goes… Awful.

But who’s surprised?

And even though Changmin’s not looking for a relationship, the fact that he’s not succeeded is pretty upsetting. So Hani finds him another date, a guy she went to college with and he’s much more interesting than the first stick in the mud, but he’s not… _right_. He’s too energetic and he’s got a loud, hacking whoop for laughter and Changmin can’t live with that. 

So that one’s a bust. 

Date number four is through an online dating app that Junsu and Hani set up for him. His profile picture is a candid Junsu takes of him when he’s got his face buried in a book so you can’t even see what he looks like, just that he hasn’t combed his unruly hair in three days. 

(Bio: Changmin. 25. Charles Dickens may have given you Great Expectations, but I can meet them ;)

“You can’t be fucking serious that’s the lamest fucking thing ever.”

But Changmin can’t think of anything else so he just… leaves it.)

It’s mostly an app full of guys looking for one-night stands but Changmin can live with that. If you enter in a relationship without expectations, then there’s nothing to lose. So his next date ends up exactly where he thought it would: at the cute guy’s apartment. 

Changmin gets home late, like it’s already after noon late, and as he’s dumping his sneakers and his shirt into a pile in the corner, he spots a cardboard box on the bed. It can’t be his, he’s all moved in. He’s not nothing left to unpack. Besides, there’s a kitten inside the box. Changmin doesn’t have a cat.

He doesn’t even want a cat.

Junsu’s at work but if Changmin knows him well enough, he’s got his cell phone on him. So he gives him a ring and sure enough, Junsu picks up.

“Dude, it’s late, did you have sausage for dinner, breakfast _and_ lunch?”

Changmin’s face turns red red red. “You’re not allowed to make those jokes.”

“Whatever. Make it quick, I’m working.”

“Who’s cat is this?” Changmin gestures towards the kitten as if it were _offending_ him. With it’s big, wide blue and green eyes and fluffy white ears and long, curly whiskers. It meows, tail curling.

“Um, that’s your cat. That’s why she has a bow around her neck and why the box says ‘Happy Birthday’ on it.”

Changmin peers at the cat again. There’s no bow.

He moves a little closer and oh, no, there it is, ripped to shreds at the bottom of the box.

And Changmin, standing in front of a fan while wearing shorts and no shirt, sweat beading down his forehead, says “My birthday’s in February.”

I can assure you that with this heat, it is _not_ February.

“Yeah, well, Hani’s worried you’re lonely. And I know you like dogs, but the landlord doesn’t allow dogs so kitten it is.”

“But I’m not --”

“Gotta work! Bye!”

Changmin stands there, phone in his hand and the line disconnected. The cat meows at him. She must be trying to tell him something. But Changmin can’t figure it out. He digs through the kitchen and finds no traces of cat food. Great, his friends buy him a cat but nothing to feed it with. He digs out a can of tuna and puts the can in the box. Then he finds a dish and takes a bowl from the cabinet and fills it with milk. The bowl takes up a large corner of the box but the cat seems pretty content with it.

Changmin tells the cat to stay, and the ducks out of the house to stop by the pet store, where he goes a little overboard and buys her a bed and one of those toys with a colorful fake mouse attached to a string.

When he gets back to the apartment, the cat isn’t in its’ box. The milk is spilled over, seeping through the cardboard and into his bed sheets. The tuna looks barely touched. Changmin’s trying to pat his mattress dry with paper towels when the mess-maker appears, white stuff sticking out of her mouth.

“What’s that?” Changmin asks her, glaring her down. She stares back. “What’s in your mouth?”

Changmin chases her around the apartment. It’s not very big and there aren’t many rooms, but she’s small and quick and evasive. Like she’s trained her whole kitten life to be a ninja. Finally he catches her, holding her tight and prying her mouth open with his fingers. He pulls wet wads of paper from her mouth and from between her toes.

When he gets to the bathroom he finds a whole spool of toilet paper shredded, strewn about in the toilet, the tub, the sink, underneath the counter. It’s everywhere. She meows at him from his feet and rubs against his ankles.

~

“Did you name her?” Hani asks, rubbing the cat between her ears. She loves Hani. _Loves_ Hani. Hates Changmin. 

Makes sense. She’s a smart kitten.

“... Cat.”

“That’s so pathetic.” Junsu frowns, shaking his head. “Give her a real name.”

Hani lifts the cat by underneath her front legs and hoists her up, bringing her face to face with Changmin. They both look equally as unamused.

“She’s so cute! You have to find a fitting name.” Hani asks, bumping the cat and Changmin’s noses.

“She reminds me of the shit that floats around in the springtime and gets up your nose and makes you sneeze and makes you miserable.”

Hani makes a face. “Pollen?”

Junsu puts his foot down. “You’re not naming the fuckin’ cat Pollen.” 

Changmin stares down the cat, and she stares back, _daring_ him to name her after plant sperm. She’ll claw his eyeballs out.

“No.” Junsu repeats, unrelenting.

“It’s Pollen.”

“You’re not --”

“Pollen.” Changmin decides. 

Hani pulls Pollen closer to her, rubbing her head. “You poor thing.” She mumbles.

~

Pollen is alright… for a cat.

She attacks Changmin in the early morning, she stares at the corner of his room when it’s late and _meows_ and Changmin’s trying to convince himself that he _doesn’t_ believe in ghosts. Pollen gets white fur _all_ the fuck over his black suit that he wears for interviews. She shreds the ends of his curtains.

She calms down eventually. She sleeps underneath the covers at night and curls into the bend of his knee. She’s home when Changmin comes home from another date that’s courtesy the dating app. She’s the excuse for Changmin to get the hell out of another date. That date doesn’t shut up about government conspiracies and Bigfoot and the Chupacabra.

(“I gotta go.”

“What? Why?”

“I have to… I have to feed my cat. My cat needs me.” And he takes the last slice of warm Italian bread and stuffs it in his mouth as he rushes out of his seat.)

Changmin runs home to change out of his sweaty clothes and tell Pollen what happened. But she’s nowhere in sight. She’s not hiding behind the couch, she’s not stuck under the cushions, she’s not tearing apart the toilet paper. Changmin figures she’s gotta be somewhere, but as he’s sitting down to make lunch, he notices the kitchen window is wide open.

Pollen climbs in only minutes later. Changmin’s super relieved -- he’ll only admit that to her, and picks her into his arms.

“What’d you get yourself into?” He asks, brushing dirt from her face. It’s all over her paws, too. But she seems pretty satisfied with herself. 

Changmin tries to stick Pollen in the tub for a bath. She shrieks and scratches him across the face.

 

Later that night as Changmin tells her about Chupacabra boy and how normally, these things are interesting but this guy took it to the next level. Pollen curls up in the crook of his neck. She sticks her tail up his nose multiple times and he has to swat her away from his ear. Junsu sneaks into the room and snaps a new profile picture for Changmin’s online dating profile.

~

Pollen comes home covered in dirt again. And again. Changmin tries closing the window but she claws her way through the screen and escapes. He comes home from interview number who fucking knows, he’s lost count and hope, and she’s gone. 

Changmin’s gotten stupidly attached to this cat in such a short time, but instead of teasing him about it, Junsu calls him “a stupid sausage” and follows him out into the streets to find the cat. Hani calls them nearly an hour later and tells them that Pollen has crawled back in.

“And she’s _filthy_.” Hani says, dusting her off. She makes a nice coating of dirt all over the kitchen table. Changmin shoves Pollen into the tub as soon as he gets home, and she screams bloody murder and claws his arms. 

~

Changmin comes home from another (disastrous) date before midnight. Junsu and Hani had been enjoying the quiet, making out on the couch thinking that their roommate wouldn’t be back until morning. But Changmin comes storming in. Not only was the date bad, but the sex was bad.

“Where’s Pollen?” He asks after he’s checked her usual hiding places. Junsu unceremoniously tries to hide his boner in his sweatpants and Hani rushes to find the kitchen window clawed through. Again.

Pollen comes it at two in the morning, trekking in little dirty paw prints through the tiled floor. She stops in the entrance-way and sits, staring at Changmin who’s sitting on the couch like he had been waiting for.

“What do you keep getting yourself into?”

She meows at him.

“Where do you keep going?”

She meows again.

“You’re getting another bath.”

Changmin knocks over a lamp trying to catch her, she’s fast. By the time he catches her he’s sweaty. He holds her captive and fills up the tub. Pollen claws at the bathroom door and howls. She doesn’t give up even as she’s submerged, turning the clear water brown. Changmin scrubs at her fur and Hani enters, rubbing her face tiredly. She had been woken by the sounds of a tortured feline.

“It sounds like you’re murdering her.” She steps on Pollen’s collar and picks it up to set it on the counter. But she finds a little piece of paper tucked between the folds and unravels it, reading, “Your cat is very sweet, but she’s eating my flowers.”

Changmin glances over his shoulder. “What?”

“Pollen is eating some person’s flowers.” Hani says, turning it so he can read the sloppy handwriting.

Changmin frowns and scrubs Pollen a little harder. “Why are you abusing some poor person’s plants?!” And she glares at him from a sea of soap suds, promising to claw him in his sleep.

~

Changmin begrudgingly cancels a Thursday night date. He’s (finally!!) landed a job and Junsu and Hani have already taken him out for celebratory drinks where a drunk Junsu messaged the hottest guy on Changmin’s match list and pretends to be him. At first Changmin was pretty upset, but then the Hot Guy responds and tells him he’d love a date. 

But as Changmin’s walking down the street, he sees a streak of white sprint by him. It’s Pollen, and as Changmin takes off after her, he messily texts his date and promises to reschedule.

Pollen darts down the streets as if she were being chased. Well, she is, by Changmin, but she was running like this even before him.

A few blocks down and Changmin’s spleen is going to fucking explode. He’s not cut out for this running thing. He’s going to die, he’s going to lie on the sidewalk and let his heart explode. His thigh muscles are spasming.

Pollen stops and scales the side of a building. It’s a new apartment complex, and she climbs with purpose.

“What the fuckin’ fuck.” Changmin breathes, nearly collapsing to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. He huffs and puffs, he’s fucking _sweating_ and the cool night isn’t doing much for him. He tugs on his shirt, trying to get some coolness underneath the fabric and cool him off. 

Pollen climbs over the balcony of the third floor, corner apartment on the front left side of the building. Changmin enters the apartment complex and gets in the elevator.

To be brutally honest, Changmin has no idea what the fuck he’s doing. There’s no game plan here. He just wants to find out what the hell has his cat coming here every day.

He knocks on the apartment door and crosses his arms, tapping his foot. Then the door swings open and his breath lodges in his throat.

Changmin could tell you what would get _him_ to come here every night.

The man’s neat eyebrows hike high into his forehead. He steps forward, and speaks in a voice so fitting, so smooth, so _throaty_. Changmin’s knees almost give out -- it’s gotta be because of the running.

“Can I help you?”

“My cat.” He says lamely.

The man immediately understands. He steps to the side and waves a (rough, beefy) hand towards the couch. Pollen is sitting there, front paws dirty, dipped in dirt from somewhere. 

“I can’t believe you. What are you doing to this poor man?” Changmin strides in, lifting Pollen from the couch and trying to wipe dirt from the fabric. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea, I saw your note but I didn’t imagine… I’m sorry.”

The homeowner shrugs, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “She’s been stopping by, digs up my plants and then runs away when I get home.”

Changmin keeps Pollen tight in his grasp as he stops listening to what this man is saying, instead listening to the sound of it. Instead, looking him up and down. The man’s in a tank top and basketball shorts. His arms are strong, muscular, his t-shirt outlines his chest and it’s tight, his pecs are tight and his calves are well defined. There’s a very familiar shape outlined by the slippery material of his shorts. Changmin’s eyes stay there a moment and then he’s looking up. He’s looking directly into the man’s eyes. Changmin had _not_ been discreet, not even in the slightest, and the man is staring at him, inquisitive.

Changmin chokes on nothing and confidence dies in his chest, somewhere next to his heart.

“I’m Yunho.”

Oh, good, something for him to hold on to. “Changmin. It’s nice to meet you.”

That look, slightly curious, slightly interested, surely teasing, doesn’t disappear. Instead it intensifies as he smiles. “It’s very nice to meet you, too.”

“And I’m sorry again about Pollen.”

Yunho looks confused. “Pollen?”

Changmin gestures towards the white feline in his arms and Yunho’s smiling, much more amused now. 

“That’s… different.”

“Yeah, I, uh, thought she was annoying. Like that white shit that floats around in the springtime.”

“So you named her Pollen?”

“Yeah,”

Yunho’s eyes, glimmering, curious, stay locked with his for a moment. Changmin’s stomach is doing that stupid somersault thing and Pollen’s flicking his face with her tail.

“Do you want something to drink, Changmin? Water? Soda? Beer?”

“Oh, uh, sure.” Changmin nods dumbly. 

Yunho arches a brow at him. “What would you like?”

_You._

Changmin bites his tongue. How smooth is he? “Beer, beer is good.”

Pollen easily escapes from his lax grip and darts behind him. The corner of the apartment has large windows, a skylight, and the wood paneling ends to meet with tiled flooring. It’s a small corner where Yunho has potted plants, and rows and rows of cacti.

It’s definitely weird. Like this mini indoor greenhouse thing, but there’s dirt scattered everywhere and there’s a very distinct spot in the pots where Pollen has been digging. Changmin has to rush to pull her out of there.

“Stop it. Stop.” He commands as she yells in distress. “Stop making a mess.” 

Yunho re-enters then, long strides and a dazzling smile, perfect perfect _perfect_ teeth. There’s a mole cradled on the curve of his lip. There’s a faint scar on his chin, his eyebrow. His jawline is sharp. Sturdy. Changmin wants to sit on it. Run his fingers through Yunho’s gorgeous auburn hair.

He immediately sits on the couch and sinks into the cushions, echoing, _stupid stupid stupid you’re so stupid_ inside his head. Pollen watches him all-knowingly.

He really only talks about Pollen, tries to avoid any career-related questions since he hasn’t even started his new job yet. He thought that having a degree in Civil Engineering would get him somewhere quicker and rich, but it seems like everyone else is having issues, too. Junsu works a job that’s nowhere within the realms of his degree and Hani is a hairdresser with a Master’s in Mathematics. 

Yunho doesn’t mention his job much, he works in the school system and as conversation flows, ebbing away from arid conversation and drifting into something much more stimulating. Yunho doesn’t read like Changmin does, but they watch the same sports, the same shows, and they discuss a political drama that’s currently airing. Changmin spends most of the time trying to keep Pollen away from the plants and trying to keep his grossly lustful attraction maintained and hidden away. 

Yunho’s lovely; his laughter, his sense of humor and lame jokes. Changmin’s _swooning._

But then it gets to be pretty late and Changmin’s had a few beers, which has aided exponentially to the flow of conversation, and Yunho’s expression is soft, and the room is dimly lit, and there’s the hum of traffic through Yunho’s open window. It fills the silence between them, gives them the moment they need to inspect one another. Changmin had been unsure if Yunho would harbor any sort of mutual attraction, but now that he’s a bit unhinged by the ambiance and alcohol, there’s a spark of heat between them, never mind the distance. Changmin tells himself not to expect anything.

“I should get going.”

Yunho’s long fingers curl around his beer bottle. Changmin stares. “Sure. Do you live far?”

“A few blocks.”

When Changmin had first entered the apartment his heart was pounding, overexerted from the run. Now it’s fluttering in his chest, excited.

~

Changmin’s dying for a reason to go back to Yunho’s apartment (and _honor_ that fucking jawline)

Junsu finds him a few nights later standing smack in the middle of the kitchen, staring out the window. He stands next to Changmin and also stares out the window until he’s finally noticed.

“Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

The taller one frowns, heart stuttering in his chest, brain still reeling from thoughts of Yunho. “Pollen’s been crashing into some guy’s apartment to dig up his greenhouse… sunroom thing and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Is he old and crusty? Young and attractive?” Junsu teases.

“Young and attractive as fuck.”

“Wait, seriously? Is he gay? Do you have a shot? You gotta tell Hani.”

And Changmin exits the kitchen to go to his room. He wishes he had a reason to go back to Yunho’s apartment. He’s sure Junsu could think of some ridiculous reason but he’s not in the mood for that right now.

~

Everyone wakes up one early morning by a terrorized howling. Changmin trips into the hallway and into the wall, collides into an alarmed and groggy Junsu in the living room, where Pollen is screaming. She has something in her mouth, and Changmin is on his knees to pry it from her mouth in seconds.

“What’s in your mouth?!”

Hani comes in behind them, flicking on the lights. In the same moment that Changmin sees and registers what’s in Pollen’s mouth, he touches it. The cactus draws blood from his fingers and Junsu is rushing to the kitchen. By the time he gets back with an oven mit, which really is only a few seconds, Changmin has pulled the cactus out of the kitten’s mouth. Hani runs for her tweezers and while Changmin goes to the bathroom to (cry in pain) and pull the spikes from his fingers, Hani and Junsu work on prying Pollen’s mouth open to tweeze out the spikes.

It’s almost two in the morning, but Junsu drives them to the nearest pet hospital. The three of them slump against each other and pass out in the waiting room until Pollen is patched back up.

~

Changmin rocks back on his heels and Pollen, wearing an expression that has Changmin feeling stupid to his core, meows at him. As if telling him, _do it or go home, you bitch._

So he raps against the front door and holds his breath. 

Yunho slides the door open and relief ripples through his almond eyes. “Is she okay? I noticed one of the pots was missing.” Yunho scoops Pollen from Changmin’s arms and Changmin’s momentarily stunned. He’s being _ignored_. Pollen meows helplessly and glares smugly (I swear) at Changmin from over Yunho’s broad shoulder.

He mumbles to himself and enters, closing the door behind him. Yunho apologises profusely, but he hadn’t been home. He hadn’t realized that something was off until he realized the gaping hole in his window screen.

Changmin sighs deeply and buries his face in his hands. “I can’t believe she ripped a hole in your screen, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, it’s totally fine. How much was the bill?”

“The bill? Pollen’s medical bill? Don’t worry about it.” Changmin’s flattered, sure, but he’s not going to ask for _money_. That’s ridiculous.

“I feel like I should give you something.”

Changmin shakes his head again. Pollen’s lazy in Yunho’s arms. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

And Yunho rubs his finger into Pollen’s head and she purrs so loudly she’s heard from across the room.

And then Yunho’s asking if he wants something to drink, something to eat, and eventually the television turns on, and Changmin’s sitting on the couch opposite him for _hours_. He’s stealing glances and trying not to think about how weird this all is. He’s trying to tell himself that Yunho _can’t_ be interested. But maybe friends is okay. They can be friends. It seems appropriate, right? To become friends with the hot guy that’s had his window busted in because Changmin’s cat is a psycho? 

“Are you planting catnip?”

Yunho looks up from his phone, totally confused. “What?”

“Just trying to figure out why she keeps coming back.”

Amused, Yunho smiles. “No, there’s no catnip. I’m not trying to purposefully lure your cat here.”

Changmin laughs at that one, and it must be the few beers, but, “Never even thought about it?”

The living room light is off, but the kitchen light from behind them shadows over Yunho’s strong muscles and does nothing to hide the desire in his eyes. “Not her, no.”

There’s a _hint_ in there. A suggestion. It’s in his eyes, his tone, his smile. Secretly devious. Secretly testing waters. Changmin’s been in this boat far too many times and he’s ready to dive in deep.

But he waits too long and misses his chance. Yunho tucks his chin down and looks back at his phone. He had swung Lucky Door No.1 wide open and Changmin didn’t take the chance to get in. His brain stalled out. Now Yunho probably thinks he’s uninterested even though there’s a part of Changmin’s heart that isn’t looking to be heartbroken and it’s telling him, _don't expect Yunho to be interested in men, get the fuck over it,_ and maybe this is for the best.

“Charles Dickens may have given you Great Expectations, but I can meet them?”

Changmin doesn’t quite process what’s happening. “Yeah, have you ever read Charles Dickens?”

Yunho’s looking at him. Inquisitive, sultry, teasing, amused, it’s all there. 

“Great Expectations is about an orphan, Pip.”

Yunho leans back in the cushions and drapes his arm over the length of the back of the couch. His eyebrow raises into a beautiful arch and --

It snaps into place. 

Changmin’s a fucking _moron._

“That was Junsu’s idea.”

“Great Expectations?”

“The quote.”

“Who’s Junsu?”

“My best friend, he’s an idiot. He said it’d get me a date.”

Yunho’s tongue peeks from between his lips, licking the corners. He’s trying to keep down a smile. But the edges of his lips curl, forming a smirk on his face that only makes the look in his eyes more predatory. Changmin prays that Yunho jumps his bones. Latches onto him. Sinks his teeth in. Eats him out. All that good stuff.

“What kind of expectations am I supposed to have?”

Yunho’s voice goes straight to his dick. His brain is sorta broken.

“If you’ve read the --”

They’re two tall boys, long limbs that take up plenty of couch space and thus, lessen the distance between them. Yunho leans forward and grabs Changmin by his shirt. He pulls them so close, holy shit they’re so close and breathing the same air their noses touch and Changmin’s about to fucking _combust_. His heart’s flying in his chest -- no it’s in stomach. It’s in his throat. 

Oh, my God, is this what a heart attack feels like?

Yunho’s grip loosens, he closes his eyes and tips his head, dragging his nose against Changmin’s, brushing his lower lip against Changmin’s upper lip.

Changmin’s gonna have a fucking coronary.

“Where’d you even see that? Where’d you see the quote?”

“Your profile.”

“But it’s a dating app for gays.”

“Mh-hm.”

“You have an account?”

“I do.”

“Oh, thank fuckin’ Christ.” And Changmin surges forward. He throws his arms around Yunho’s neck, crashes their lips together and bumps their chests. Their legs tangle awkwardly, lust deluging through his system and nearly drowning him. As soon as their lips touch he surrenders the smallest moan. It reverberates down Yunho’s spine. He groans, heady, and his large palms land on Changmin’s waist and this is it. This is the moment his heart explodes and he dies.

Changmin can’t stop touching him, doesn’t want to. He grabs for what he can; his face, his shoulders, his hair. Neither of them want to pull away, bumping chests and knees and elbows as Changmin uses force to get Yunho on his back. They fall back into the cushions and their lips collide to bruise. Yunho palms Changmin’s ass through his jeans and Changmin groans around his tongue. He fumbles for the hem of Yunho’s shirt and runs his hands underneath. He rubs Yunho’s nipples until they’re erect, touches the definition of his chest, his stomach, listening to the noises Yunho makes. In turn, Yunho fumbles for his buckle and loosens his jeans and slides his hands underneath, from behind. He grabs handfuls of Changmin’s skin and Changmin whimpers.

Then Changmin trails his fingers downwards, over the other man’s zipper. He applies the slightest pressure and pleasure slams through Yunho’s body so hard he jumps. Their lips break and Changmin finally, _finally_ , moves to that jaw.

Yunho makes a noise, not quite a moan but whatever he’s trying to say gets swallowed up by pleasure instead. It comes out _desperate_. Then one of his legs falls off the bed, opening his legs and Changmin’s hand slides lower, gets a little braver, while continuously sucking on Yunho’s neck.

“S-Stop.”

Changmin’s hand stops first, right where it’s at, between his legs. Then Yunho says it again, a little louder but not much firmer. Changmin stops kissing him. 

“I-I didn’t mean to…”

Changmin finds his gaze, still pooled with passion and want but he’s trying to squash that.

“Is this too much?” And he pulls away.

Yunho’s hair is a mess, pushed back, his lips strawberry red and swollen. It’s a sight. Changmin imagines he must be a sight, too, because Yunho’s staring at the same general areas -- lips, hair and groin.

Collecting himself is difficult. He had willingly let himself fall apart in Yunho’s hands and Yunho had apparently done the same. It’s like you can see the inner workings of his mind repeatedly pressing the ‘STOP’ button on the blood flow to his dick. 

“I’d like to do this a little more…” He’s still not fully collected, grasping for words. “I should try this again.”

Changmin isn’t understanding what’s happening here, so he waits. 

“I’d like to take you out, first.”

Changmin takes a moment, chews those words, and then slowly smiles. A date. A real date. A step in the right direction. He’s a classic guy and it’s sweet. Changmin’s stupid fucking heart is soaring. But Yunho can see it in his eyes and it’s making him hopeful.

“Where to?”

“What kind of food do you like?”

Changmin smiles. “I’ll eat anything.”

Yunho’s mentally hitting that ‘STOP’ button again. No sex references. No. He’s trying to be a gentleman about this. “There’s a sushi place down by the docks. We could go there, then maybe take a walk on the boardwalk.”

Oh, it sounds _romantic_. Changmin would like some romantic. “Sure, sounds great.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“At six?”

“Yeah.”

Now Changmin’s got _butterflies_. Pathetic. “So how ’bout we make out ‘til then?”

Yunho chuckles and reaches for his shirt again, pulling. “Get back on top of me.”

And Changmin does. In less than a fucking heartbeat.

~ ~

 

Changmin ends up going home that night, and he lies in bed tells Pollen about Yunho. She meows in agreement, settling on his stomach. She stares at him like she understands what he’s saying.

“He’s nice. He’s really nice. He gives me butterflies _and_ a boner.” Changmin says to her. “I’ve never felt like that before. Definitely unexpected.”

Pollen lies over his heartbeat and purrs. It’s like she’s telling him to go for it.

Changmin’s getting good vibes about this whole thing. Especially as Yunho texts him, saying how excited he is for tomorrow night.

**Author's Note:**

> a birthday fic for my querida. te amo ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 
> 
> crossposted on my lj [here](http://magalix3.livejournal.com/36028.html)


End file.
